Suction cleaner



April 20, 1937. D. G. SMELLIE SUCTION CLEANER Filed May 28, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 1 April 20, 19.37. D. G. SMELLIE SUCTION CLEANER Filed May 28, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 fill/I4 [III I/11 1111 1111!!! 15 25 April 20, 1937. D. G. SMELLIE sucwzon CLEANER Filed May 28, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES SUCTION CLEANER Donald G. Smellie, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 28, 1930, Serial No. 456,389

19 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularly to new and novel agitating means for suction cleaners. The invention is characterized by the provision, in a suc- 5 tion cleaner, of an agitating member which performs the double function of agitating the surface covering undergoing cleaning and also of directing the dirt-removing air to the point of agitation.

The object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved suction cleaner construction. Another object is the provision of a new and improved agitator for a suction cleaner. A still further object is the provision of .a suction cleaner in'which the point of surface agitation is coincident with the point of maximum air cleaning efiectiveness. A further object is the provision of a suction cleaner in which the cleaning air enters the cleaner thru the agitator. Other and more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and considering the drawings attached thereto.

In the drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout:

Fig. 1 is a side view, with certain parts broken away, of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the machine, shown in Fig. l, with certain parts broken away.

Fig. 3, of the drawings, discloses a modified embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a partial side view upon the line 4-6 of 3. r I

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the agitator used in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

Fig. 6 discloses a modified embodiment of an agitator which may be used in the present invention.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 in particular the reference character I indicates generally a cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention and which comprises the usual parts of a suction cleaner including a motor casing 2 which houses a driving motor, not shown; a fan casing 3, forming a fan chamber 4 within which is positioned a suction fan 5 carried by the extended motor shaft 6; a nozzle 1 fixedly carried by the fan chamber 3 and opening thereinto at the fan eye 8; front-supporting wheels 9;, 9 and a rear-supporting wheel l provided with heightadjusting means, indicated generally by the ref erence character H; and a handle bail l2 which is pivoted to the motor casing at l3 and by which the cleaner may be propelled over the surface covering. The aforedescribed parts comprise the (on. 15- 1s) usual parts of a suction cleaner and noinvention here resides in their general arrangement.

Positioned within the mouth of the nozzle I is the agitator or tunnel indicated generally by the reference character It which comprises a hollowcylindrical-body member I 5 provided with spaced lips l6 and I1 which act as beating-agitating elements in the operation of the cleaner and which extend helically around the body member l5, as shown in Fig. 5, on its lower side and between which an opening into the agitator I4 is provided. A supporting member l8 is provided at each end of the agitator which is provided with a bearing l9 adapted to rotatably receive a support: ing pin 20 carried by the removable end 2! of" the nozzle 1. The end 2i of the nozzle is provided with an opening 22 connecting the ends of the air tunnel M with the atmosphere. Sealing means 23 in the form of suitable washers are provided between the ends of the agitator I4 and the adjacent end plates 2| which prohibit the passage of air from the agitator or the exterior atmosphere into the nozzle at that point.

Rigidly attached to the body member l5 oi agitator I4 is a rearwardly projecting member 24 provided with an indented portion or seat 240,

for a purpose hereinafter described. Positioned within the tunnel l4 and secured to the end plates 2| is a shell or'gate member 25 which is provided with a transversely extending slot 26. Sealing means 21 and 28 are carried by gate 25 and prevent leakage of air from the tunnel into the.

nozzle l between the adjacent walls of said gate and said tunnel.

The gate member 25 functions to close the opening in the tunnel between lips l6 and I1 and prevent the passage of air therethrough except at the point of intersection of the opening and the slot where a diamond-shaped area will be presented through which air may be discharged. Upon the alternate rotary rotation or oscillation of tunnel l4 the area mentioned travels back and forth the length of the lips l6 and ill.

' Positioned within the nozzle 1 is an individual compartment 29 which is provided witha removable cover 30 in the forward face of the nozzle. Positioned within the housing 29 is the rotatable member 3| carried eccentrically upon the extended motor shaft 6. Member 3! is provided with a bearing surface 32 upon its exterior which is enclosed by a non-rotatable but slidable member 33 which is fixedly attached at its projecting ends to a shaft 34 by means of the securing means 35. The lower end of shaft 34 is provided with a conical projection 36 which extends within the indented seat 24a in the member 24. The conical projection 36 has a smaller enclosed angle than the seat 25 permitting member 34 to be angularly tilted therein.

Y 5 The end 36 of shaft 34 is maintained forcibly yet The extended end of motor shaft 6 is supported in the rear wall of housing 29 in nozzle 1 by means of the bearing indicated generally a by the reference character 40. Sealing means,

indicated generally by the reference character 4|, are positioned at the sides of bearing 40. on

supporting shaft 6 and are held in place byfront and rear housing plates 42 and 43 which are secured to the rear wall of the house 29 by securing means 44. The sealing means function to protect the supporting bearing 40 from 'the' dirt-laden air.

In the operation of the cleaner, rotation of the motor and thefan 5 creates a reduced pressure within the fan chamber 4 and nozzle 1. Air is drawn through the mouth of the nozzle I and the surface covering is lifteduntil it contacts with the broad sealing lips 45 and 46 of said nozzle. The sealing lips serve to restrict the quantity of air entering the nozzle thereunder to a minimum and after the seal has been made the greater part of air' must enter the nozzle by means of the air tunnel i 4, having first entered therein through inlets 22 at the 6 causes the eccentrically mounted member 3| to rotate resulting in the member 33 being displaced alternately upwardly and downwardly to a degree determined by the eccentricity of mem- 40 her 3| relative to the shaft 6. The member 33 being maintained in contact with the member 24 carries that member with it in its travel resulting in the alternate rotary movement or us cillation of agitator I4 in clockwise and counterclockwise directions about the axis of the supporting pins 20. The displaced surface covering which is. sealed between the lips 45. and .46 contacts the lips 16 and ll of the agitator l4 which are, 'inv effect, penetrating lips, that is, have a width of the magnitude of the distance separating adjacent rows of pile or adjacent tufts of a single row of pile of a surface covering, and the movement of these lips upon said covering results in the flexing and bending of the pile with the resultant disturbance of the embedded foreign matter thereon. The curvature of the lirsrlfi and I1 upon the agitator I4 is such that the angular displacement of said agitator is just suflicient to cause said lips to 0 contact the surface'covering along their entire length. -As the pressure within the agitator I4 is atmospheric while that .within the nozzle 1 outside the agitator i4 is reduced, air is drawn from said agitator through the area of coincidence of the slot 26 of the gate 25 and the openv ing between the lips I 6 and. into the nozzle, and, as the point of surface contact of the helical lips l6 and I1 form two of the-sides defining the area of discharge, it is seen that the construction accomplishes the directing of the cleaning air to the point of positive agitation. This desired result is impossible in the. usual suction cleaner in. which the cleaning air enters under the nozzle lips while the agitation takes place 76 at some intermediate point. It is also clear ends thereof. The rotation of themotor shaft from the construction that the area of discharge from the .tunnel l4 into the nozzle 1 travels back and forth across the length of slot 26 as the tunnel is oscillated. 4

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 a modified embodiment of the present'invention is disclosed in which the gate or shell member has been omitted thereby permitting air to escape along the entire length of the opening between the tunnel lips in the operation'of the cleaner. The general arrangement is the same'as that of the preferred embodiment, the agitator l4 being provided withv a body member l5 which is supported at its ends by the supporting member l8 provided with hearing l9 which is adapted to receive the supporting pin 20 carried by the end plate 2i of the nozzle '1. The permanently attached rearwardly projecting member 24 is connected to and actuated by the reciprocated member 34, as aforedescribed. Lips l6 and H, which are also the beating-agitating elements,- are provided upon the agitator l4 which extend helically thereon as shownlin Fig. 5.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6 in particular agitating air tunnels capable of being used in the present invention are disclosed. Fig. 5 discloses a; modification in which only one pair of lips are present which extend approximately the entire length of the agitator. The lips are of the narrow pile penetrating design. Fig. 6 discloses a modification in which a series of pairs of lips 48 and 49 are used. In each construction I the angular displacement between the endsof the respective. pairs of lips is substantially equal to the angular rotation to which the agitator is to be subjected.

In order that the present invention may be adapted for use with cleaning tools a removable nozzle section 50 adjacent the fan eye has been provided. Section 50 is held 'inplace, in the operation of the machine as a suction cleaner, by the spring pressed detent 5|. If it is desired to use cleaning tools with the machine it is only necessary 'to slightly withdraw the detent 5| from its seat 52 within the removable section 50 thereby permitting the displacement of said section. It is then possible to insert the convertor member of the dusting tools into the space formerly occupied by section 50 and secure in place by means of the detent 5|.

From the foregoing it is clear that a new and novel suction cleaner has been provided in which the' agitator is used as'an air-directive means, while at the same time agitating the surface covering undergoing cleaning through being itself actuated with an alternate rotary movement.

I claim:-

Lin a suction cleaner, a nozzle, a movable agitating element in said nozzle adapted to con- I tact a surface covering undergoing cleaning, a housing in said nozzle open to the atmosphere and containing a body of air at substantially atmospheric pressure and open to the nozzle adjacent the surface-contacting element, and

means to impart an alternate rotary to said element. Y

2. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, an agitator within said nozzle including a movable surfacecontacting agitating element and means to di-.

'rect air to the point of surface contact of said movement element, said agitator being hollow and being tively actuate said agitating element.

suction-creating device to draw air through said 3. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, an agitator in said nozzle including a movable surface-contacting elongated penetrating lip and means to direct air to the point of surface contact of said lip, said agitator being hollow and being interiorly connected to atmosphere, and means to positively actuate said lip.

4. In a suction cleaner, suction-creating means, a nozzle having a mouth'connected to said means, broad sealing lips defining the sides of said mouth and restricting the flow of air into said nozzle, a hollow agitatorin said nozzle open to the atmosphere and to the nozzle, the opening in said agitator being of such size that a relatively large part of the air drawn into said nozzle by said suction-creating means enters therethru, an 'agitating element upon said agitator extending substantially into the plane of the nozzle lips, and means to actuate said agitator with an alternate rotary motion, characterized by the fact. that said agitator conveys outlet in its surface open to said nozzle, and

means 'to positively' actuate said agitator to move said outlet relative to a lifted (surface covering between said lips.

. 6. In a suction cleaner a nozzle, broad sealing lips uponsaid nozzle adapted to contact the surface covering undergoingcleaning and functioning to minimize the flow of air'therebetween' into the nozzle, means to admit cleaning air into the suction nozzle comprising an agitating air tunnel within said nozzle interiorly connected with the atmosphere and containing air at substantially atmospheric pressure, said tunnel having a mouth-extended substantially into the plane of the nozzle lips and agitating, means upon said air tunnel adjacent said mouth, and means to provide said air tunnel with an alternate rotary movement.

7. In a suction cleaner a nozzle, lips upon said nozzle defining a-mouth, means to create a reduced pressure in said nozzle, a spirally extending agitating eEment pivotally mounted in said nozzle, and adapted to contact the surface covering undergoing cleaning, means to actuate said element with analternate rotary motion, means to exhaust cleaning air into said nozzle adjacent said element, and means to limit the es-' cape of said air into said nozzle to the point of surface contact of said agitating element.

8. In a suction cleaner a nozzle,v lips upon said nozzle defining a mouth, means to create a reduced pressure in said nozzle, an air tunnel in said nozzle interiorly connected with theat- .mosphere and having a spirally extending opening in its wall, a stationary slotted gate member positioned in said-tunnel intersecting the opening therein and limiting the escape of air therefrom, and means to actuate said tunnel to move said opening relative to the slot in said gate to move the point of air discharge from said tunnel. 9. A suction cleaner comprising ,a nozzle, a

nozzle and an open-bottomed airtunnel .open to the atmosphere and containing air at substantially atmospheric pressure positioned in said nozzle, said tunnel being provided with surfacecontacting penetrating li'ps,-and means to reciprocate said lips. Y n

10. In a suction cleaner,

a suction nozzle, lips.

upon saidnozzle, means to draw air through said nozzle, a motor driving said means, an air tunnel interiorly connected to the atmosphere and provided with anopening to said nozzle in substan tially the plane of the nozzle lips, surface-agitating means carried by said tunnel, and powertransmission means b'etween said motor and said tunnel to reciprocate said tunnel.

11. In a device of the character described, .a

ing agitator provided with outlet nozzles to deliver air at a pressure greater than nozzle pressure within the intake nozzle during vibration of said agitator, means to supply air to the agitator and electrically actuated means to vibrate said agitator.

12. In a device 'ofthe character described, a casing havinga chamber terminating ina nozzle, an agitator pivoted in said chamber and having its lower end positioned always within said nozzle,

saidagitator having'an air passageway therethru and open to the surface covering undergoing cleaning, said agitator being connected to a source of air supply, and electrically actuated means to vibrate said agitator relative to said nozzle.

13. In a suction cleaner, a suction nozzle, spaced lips upon said nozzle defining the nozzle mouth, means to draw air thru,said nozzle and to lift. the surface covering undergoing-cleaning'against said nozzle lips, a movable air tunnel in said nozzle connected interiorly to a source casing provided with an intake nozzle, a vibratof air pressure greater than that in said nozzle,

and havingan opening facing the surface covering undergoing cleaning, lips carried by said' tunnel defining said opening and adapted to contact the surface covering undergoing cleaning, and means to reciprocate said air tunnel to cause the lips on said tunnel to-agitate the said surface covering. 1

14. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, an agitator in said'n'ozzle including a movable surface-contacting agitating element and means to direct air to the point of surface contact of said element,

said mean'svbeing open to a source of'pressure greater than thatin said nozzle, and means to impart an alternate rotary movement to said element.

15, In a device of the character described, a casing having a chamberterminating in a nozzle, an agitator pivoted above its surface-contacting portion within said chamber and having its lower end positioned always within said nozzle, surfacecontacting elements formed along the lower edge of said agitator and -having-air passageways therethrough constituting nozzles, means to'supply air under pressure greater than that in the casing nozzle to said agitator, and electrically actuated means to vibrate said agitator. v

16. In a. device of the character described,.a nozzle, agitating meansin said nozzle including an agitating element and an air passageway con-v nected to an air source and open to said noz'zle element, said agitator being mounted relative to said nozzle so that said agitating element is movable to deliver a'beating blow to an object adjacent the point of surface contact of-said undergoing cleaning, and means to actuate said agitator to cause said element to deliver a beating blow.

17. In a suction cleaner, a nozzle, spaced lips upon said nozzle defining the nozzle mouth, means to draw air through said nozzle, an air tunnel in said nozzle connected to air at pressure greater than the pressure in said nozzle, lips upon said tunnel defining an opening facing a surface cgvering undergoing cleaning, means mounting said tunnel so that said lips are movable in a path having a vertical .component, said lips being adapted to contact an article undergoing cleaning to deliver a beating blow thereto, and means to reciprocate said lips.

19. In a device of the, character described, a casing provided with an intake nozzle, a vibrating agitator provided with an outlet nozzle to deliver air under a pressure greater than the pressure in said intake nozzle within said intake nozzle during vibration of said agitator, means to supply air to said agitator and electrically actuated means to vibrate said agitator.

DONALD G. SMELLIE. 

